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Malik Yoba, His D**k, & Why We Feel Entitled To Attack Celebs

The running joke around our office, is that if you spend enough time in Brooklyn, you’re bound to run into actor Malik Yoba. Now, this fun fact doesn’t have much to do with the story at hand but I share it to illustrate the type of “relationship” we here at MadameNoire have with Malik. We’ve been watching him since his “New York Undercover” days, rooted for he and Joan to make it work in “Girlfriends,” and the Tyler Perry fans among us…(read: me) wondered why he and Janet just couldn’t get it together in Why Did I Get Married? He’s the famous guy who is simultaneously accessible and just happens to hang out where we hang out on the weekends. A real around-the-way type of dude.

But earlier this month, Malik displayed another side of himself in an ugly confrontation with a reporter and Fox9 contributor on–you guessed it–Twitter. See how it all went down.

OOOoopp!

Now, was Malik wrong for this? Probably. But was this a very natural, very human reaction to being taunted unnecessarily and unprovoked on Twitter? Definitely. If you peruse Ms. Dish Central’s twitter page, you’ll see that she makes a name for herself coming for celebrities, everyone from Justin Beiber to Prince (inexcusable) to Oprah. If that’s your thing, that’s your thing; but don’t feign shock and prudishness when any one of the celebrities you target fires back with equal or excessive rudeness. The rules of karma dictate that you get what you put out there. Malik was simply not having it that day. Later, Ms. Dish learned some information about Malik that would probably make most folk in her position feel a bit remorseful. But instead, she used it as an opportunity to steadily criticize.

Malik, probably having calmed down a bit, had this to say in response.

Later, in an interview with Hello Beautiful , Malik explained his thought process at the time of the “altercation,” why he said what he said and whether he regretted it in hindsight.

“People think that it’s ok to degenerate and disrespect someone just because they’re in the public eye. Don’t think because I’m a positive dude, I’m going to always say something nice. If you come at me crooked, one too many times or if too many people came at me crooked too many times in a row, then they’re going to get it. I don’t always exercise that self control and I don’t regret it either.”

There you have it. Do I suggest Malik Yoba continues suggesting that women wrap their lips around his johnson? Ehh no. But I can’t deny that he brings up very valid points about the way we treat celebrities…especially in the digital space. I don’t think celebrities are above reproach for the work they produce and present for us to consume; but when you start talking about their personal lives, especially going to the lengths of mentioning them so they can see your comment on Twitter, you have to evaluate your motivation and more importantly your morals. At the end of the day it’s just not cool. And while I suspect Ms. Dish is trying to make a bit of a name for herself by insulting others, there are millions of us who practice tearing down celebs and their personal lives, like it’s our new found faith. Furthermore, why do we then expect these celebrities, fellow human beings, to act like Jesus Christ and keep turning their cheeks while we get to act a fool because we don’t have a platform? If these celebs are not above criticism please believe they’re not above wallowing in the mire right along with us.

But the bigger question is why do we even feel the need to attack them personally? Does it make us feel better about our lives? Is this our jealousy manifested in the comment section? Is it easier to clown someone when you know they can’t access you physically? Probably a little of all of that. It’s always easier to attack the elusive stranger who you’ll probably never meet in real life than it is to deal with the person you have to live with every second of everyday. And if you’ve made peace with that cool but don’t be surprised if someone comes back at you and tells you what to do with your flapping lips…

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Comment Disclaimer: Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN

Jerome Taylor

I think Malik was not only correct in putting Miss Thang in her place, but I know other celebrities who would have done far worse!! Bottom line, if you can’t take it in, don’t dish it out, Miss Dish!!!

miznic

boooooooooy back in them NY Undercover days, I might have taken that statement of his as an invitation!!!

First off I caught the “Ehhhh No!” reference from My Wife and Kids, lol. Me and my cousin have lots of inside jokes from that show alone, lol!!

I do agree with this article that any media “journalists” or everyday person, that feels that it’s ok to talk out of the side of their necks to celebrities, expect to feel no repercussions is fooling themselves. I’m not a celebrity, but even I get offended when I hear that dealing with gossip or paparazzi comes with the territory. It’s BS to except that LIES come with the territory of being famous. And even if it’s not lies, who are you to put anybody’s business out without their consent?

Nina

I am on ( ==BlackWhitePlanet.СòM==), met many good guys and beauties, they also want to find true love.

I’m sick of people like her and Perez Hilton saying what they want but then having the nerve to get offended when you strike back!!! As mygrandmother used to say, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of thekitchen!!!!! Maybe they should just try growing up!!!!

klynn

Before I even read the article, I said to myself. “boy is he sweating or what”. I had no idea it was really about his skin, and was Steve Harvey included in the general public…IJS. With all the money he is making, he should be able to take care of that, I would think. Come on now, back in the day all we had was petroleum jelly and some of us got talked about or tesed because some of the mothers were a little more heavy handed than others. We used it for everything! Yes I think the woman took it to far, and yes I think he was too crude. He should of take the high road, I’m sure he could have come up with something a little more classier than that.

Guest

Having money doesn’t necessarily mean you can buy a cure or good treatment. As much as medicine has advanced, there are still many mysteries to the human body and many things that there is no known cure or reliable treatment for. I’m not familiar with exactly what his skin condition is, but maybe there are few options for him.

tea

He definitely needs some chapstick

tea

according to the picture above

CarlaKah

Emotional or not. His comment showed his misogynistic side…

ShazzNem

this is such BS!

CarlaKah

explain

ShazzNem

What about his reply speaks to his hating women? He clearly hates disrespectful women and so do most of us! Did you think he owed her an explanation for why his lips are dry to excuse her behaviour? Who the dickance cares for a stalker like @Dish Central by C.J.’s reputation? At least one of her victims should fire back and however it comes, she gotta learn to take it with a smile! She wuz licking her lips when she wuz texting! We love to demand that the offended take the high road too often. What high road response is going to get her to stop?

CarlaKah

silence

Suelu

You would think someone with that face and that hideous 40 year old hair would be a lot nicer to others.

He’s human first, man second, celebrity last…people like to push celebrities buttons and then cry foul when they react.

Guestvirgo

People have gotten out of control with their verbal attacks online. It’s just plain old fashioned meanness to want to hurt someone verbally because you don’t like something about them. It is also immature, petty and childish and has no place in adulthood. I mean this is so junior high school. With that said, if you come for someone unprovoked, then don’t get offended when they say something just as out of left field as you did to provoke their response. Malik Yoba had every right to say to that internet troll what he did. I’m sick of people like her and Perez Hilton saying what they want but then having the nerve to get offended when you strike back!!! As my grandmother used to say, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!!!!! Maybe they should just try growing up!!!!

It’s so funny that I was having this conversation about people using the computer screen as shield to speak rude and juvenile comments on people. Rather the person is a “celebrity” or someone from your school, or work place, or town people seem to use social media more than ever as a stage to broadcast their opinions and thoughts, many behind pseudo personas. Now while one could argue it’s every beings given right to speak their minds, what I can not stand is how quick someone is to cast rude thoughts but the minute it is given back they want to yell and scream about the treatment that received in return. We’re living in the day in age where everything is instant and quick..people use twitter to get instant gratification or fame..not taking accountability for the statements they put out. Blogs run malicious stories and do the same as this grown woman did when the person comes back at them…*Cough* B.o.s.s.i.p. in particular…but fail to realize that what you put out there, the words you speak, the rumors you run with, the making fun of a persons appearance, speech, lifestyle are not just words..but actions of rude, immature, and demeaning behavior, so if someone chooses to stand up for themselves you deserve what ever response given back.

Brit

Agree! There’s a major difference between stating your opinion (I’m not feeling Jane’s new music ) versus tearing someone down (Jane is a stupid b*#?h who sucks at life). Corny examples, but you get the point. There are some ppl who go past being opinionated to the point where they begin to bully or slander celebs. I simply think it’s childish and it shows just how ugly/poor your personality is.

Exactly!!!!! you just said one word that alot of people seem to be able to get away with online now..which is “slander”. The funny thing is people figure because they are shielded behind a computer screen they don’t have to worry about retributions for their words. Like the whole Beyonce pregnancy, calling successful African Americans members of a cult, strongly protesting outloud a male performer is gay cause they don’t fit the stereotype of what ppl expect, or rumors of crimes not proven…but feel its ok when it’s on a gossip site. Ppl could argue well you don’t have to read it, but that’s the problem with the state of the internet know, no one takes acccountability for their actions, not realizing how powerful words are.Rumors and gossip may seem harmless, but things are different now, word travels at the speed of light due to the 24 hour news cycle, twitter, facebook…so the fact that ppl want to be famous or the next gossip rag they figure twitter is their resume`..”if i get enough following or attention for spewing vile comments, I’ll make it”..its just disgusting.

Taj

In this instance, I don’t think this situation can be used as a general case of a celebrity being attacked by fans and non fans alike. Clearly, he was responding to this one person and not the public in general. Although some may not condone his language, I think if you are bold enough to write something on the internet, you should be bold enough to tell them in person and take whatever is to be dished to you as a result. However, I am tired of the notion that any critique of a particular artist is in some way attacking them and people need to learn the difference between a person criticizing someone versus “tearing them down”. Secondly, these artists clearly know that they use or benefit from many of these media forums and blogs to promote their images. So they need to take pause before schooling people in the general public who have no control over blogs and gossip sites in terms their behavior towards them. To me, people get tired of having certain entertainers being pushed down their throats whether through magazines, television, internet, and on their radio only to be told to live like hermits if they don’t want to be graced by an entertainer’s image. So they use sites to vent. Thirdly, I don’t understand people’s obsession with tweeting. How is a person so important that they need to be followed?